Patent Application
20130165887
The present invention relates to packages comprising an opening and a peelable overlabel that can selectively cover and expose the opening to facilitate removable of objects contained within the package.
Packages containing an access opening that is covered by a resealable overlabel are commonly used for storing consumer goods wherein less than the entire purchased product is used at one particular point in time. For example, wet wipes can be packaged in a flexible film package that employs a resealable overlabel. A user removes one or more wipes from the package and then reseals it to preserve the cleanliness and moisture level of the unused wipes for future use.
The overlabel on many of these resealable packages is intended to stay connected to the package and simply be peeled back sufficiently to provide access to the package's contents. For example, the overlabel may be permanently affixed on one of its edges and releasably affixed on the remaining edges. Pressure sensitive adhesive is generally used to releasably affix portions of the overlabel to the underlying package substrate. The adhesive must possess sufficiently high strength to maintain adhesion of the overlabel to the package substrate prior to use by a consumer, but not too much strength (or tack) wherein the initial peeling force can lead to tearing, delaminating, or distorting the package and/or can result in a consumer peeling the label completely off of the underlying substrate. The inventors of the present invention have discovered that simply optimizing adhesive strength can be insufficient to deliver the right force balance for the package and the consumer using the same.
One of the factors that leads to a high initial peel force is that the adhesive wet edge width of an overlabel that seals around the perimeter of an opening can vary greatly, with a larger wet edge width needing to be overcome at the beginning stages of peeling the overlabel. A high initial peel force diminishes after the first portions of the overlabel are released from the substrate. This initial high peel force can compromise the integrity of the package for less than optimal continued use. The initial high peel force can also cause a consumer to accelerate the peeling action after the initial peel force is overcome that can lead to the overlabel being torn partially or completely away from the package substrate.
The present invention addresses one or more of the above-described issues.
The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the drawings enclosed herewith.
The following text sets forth a broad description of numerous different embodiments of the present invention. The description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible, and it will be understood that any feature, characteristic, component, composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described herein can be deleted, combined with or substituted for, in whole or part, any other feature, characteristic, component, composition, ingredient, product, step or methodology described herein. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. All publications and patents cited herein are incorporated herein by reference.
It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this specification using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______ ’ is hereby defined to mean . . .” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). No term is intended to be essential to the present invention unless so stated. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such a claim term be limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph.
Embodiments described herein generally relate to packages for containing consumer goods. The consumer goods may be disposable, durable or semi-durable. Absorbent article is one class of disposable articles that may be contained by packages of the present invention. The packages provided herein comprise an opening that is covered by an overlabel. The overlabel is at least partially peeled off of the package so that articles contained within the package can be removed through the now exposed opening. In some embodiments, the package can be reclosed by covering the opening with the overlabel. A consumer may wish to dispose of a used article by placing the article back into the package via the opening and re-adhering the overlabel. Used articles (e.g., feminine hygiene products) that are soiled may benefit from a package embodiment that includes an absorbent interior layer (e.g., a nonwoven layer). Packages of the present invention may be constructed from a substrate that has a single material layer or a laminate substrate that has two or more similar or dissimilar material layers. For example, one package embodiment is made from a polymeric film—nonwoven laminate wherein the film forms the exterior surface of the package and the nonwoven forms the interior surface of the package.
As used herein, the term “absorbent” refers to materials that can hold, retain, entrap, and/or contain body fluids.
As used herein, the term “absorbent article” refers to devices that absorb and contain body exudates, and more specifically, refers to devices that are placed against or in proximity to the body of the wearer to absorb and contain various exudates discharged from the body. Absorbent articles include, for example, sanitary napkins, incontinence articles, interlabial pads, tampons, and pantiliners.
The term “disposable” is used herein to describe articles that are intended to be discarded after a single use. That is, they are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored or reused.
As used herein, the term “feminine hygiene articles” refers to articles that typically can be intended for feminine use, such as, e.g., absorbent articles, such as, e.g., sanitary napkins, liners, tampons, interlabial articles, incontinence articles; and pessaries.
As used herein, the term “nonwoven” can refer to a web or fabric having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in a regular, repeating manner as in a woven or knitted fabric. Nonwoven webs or fabrics can be formed from many processes, such as, for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, hydroentangling processes, and bonded carded web processes.
As used herein, the term “tampon” refers to any type of absorbent structure such as, e.g., an absorbent mass, that can be inserted into the vaginal canal or other body cavity for the purpose of, such as, e.g., absorbing fluid, aiding in wound healing, and/or for delivering materials, such as moisture or active materials such as medicaments. The term “tampon” can also include the combination of an absorbent structure with any type of applicator that can be associated with the absorbent structure to facilitate insertion of a tampon into the vaginal canal or other body cavity. A tampon can include any known tampon configuration such as, for example, digital tampons, tampons with traditional plunger type applicators, and/or tampons with compact applicators, such as, e.g., tampons described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,805; 4,846,802; 4,960,417; 5,087,239; 5,279,541; 6,258,075; 6,478,763; or any other tampon.
Overlabel 50 is shown and described in greater detail with reference to
The substrate-facing surface 56 of overlabel 50 is shown in
A variety of adhesives can be used on the overlabels of the present invention. These can include, for example, acrylic emulsions, solvent based adhesives, and hot melts. One preferred class of adhesives is pressure sensitive adhesives. Exemplary hot melt adhesives include styrenic block copolymers adhesives. Adhesives can be applied by any known technique, including via slot coating and printing (e.g., flexography). As used herein, “adhesive deadener” means any substance that can be brought into contact with adhesive to reduce the level of tack of the adhesive, including deadeners, detackifiers (e.g., talc), and ink/pigments. Adhesive deadeners can include those known in the art of packaging and labels. An exemplary adhesive deadener useful for the present invention is a UV-cured varnish. Adhesive deadeners can be applied by any know method, including, for example, via flexography.
Application of deadener on the adhesive located on overlabel edge 53 results in a discontinuous pattern of adhesive. And since longitudinal edges 54 and 55 have portions along their lengths that do not contain any deadener in the embodiments shown in
Preferably, a wet edge width dimension of active adhesive that contacts the package substrate around the outer perimeter of the package opening is substantially the same along the length of the overlabel. In some embodiments, “substantially the same” is met where a minimum of the width dimension of active adhesive is no less than 70%, 80% or 90% of a maximum width dimension of active adhesive along the length of the overlabel from a starting edge that is lifted from the package substrate to a final edge that is lifted from the package substrate during the peeling process. By way of example and with reference to
As discussed above, the present invention generally relates to methods of selectively applying adhesive to a package overlabel and/or selectively deadening previously applied adhesive to impart a more uniform peel force required to lift the overlabel off of the underlying package substrate. For example, a desired peel force profile can take the shape profile PF2 that is shown in
Packages according to the present invention can be formed of any suitable substrate material, such as, for example, a polymeric film comprising polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polyvinyl chlorides, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and/or other suitable films, a nonwoven, a formed film, a paper, or a fabric comprised of suitable material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, cellulose, rayon, cotton, super absorbent material such as polyacrylate, or combinations thereof. The package substrate material can be any suitable thickness, such as, for example, greater than about 0.1 mm thick, such as, e.g., greater than about 0.2 mm thick, greater than about 0.3 mm thick, greater than about 0.4 mm thick, greater than about 0.5 mm thick, greater than about 0.6 mm thick, greater than about 0.7 mm thick, greater than about 0.8 mm thick, greater than about 0.8 mm thick, greater than about 0.9 mm thick, greater than about 1 mm thick, greater than about 2 mm thick, greater than about 3 mm thick, greater than about 4 mm thick, greater than about 5 mm thick, or any other suitable thickness. In addition, in certain embodiments, the package substrate material can have a high tear resistance. In certain embodiments, the package substrate material can be considered non-flushable, non-water-degradable, and/or generally insoluble in water.
The package substrate may comprise a single layer or component. In certain embodiments, the package substrate material can be a multiple component material that can have a first component and a second component. For example, the first component of the package material can be a polymeric film and the second component can be an absorbent material, such as, e.g., a nonwoven, a formed film, a paper, or a fabric. The first component and the second component can be joined in any suitable manner to form the package substrate material, such as, e.g., by adhesive bonding, mechanical bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, extrusion lamination, and the like. While complete bonding of the first component and the second component may not be necessary, in certain embodiments, the bonding should be sufficient to facilitate that the components act as a unit, e.g., bending out-of-plane together.
The layers/components can have a thickness of from about 0.0005″ (˜0.01 mm) to 0.003″ (0.07 mm). In certain embodiments, the substrate materials can have a basis weight of less than about 50 gsm, such as, e.g., less than about 40 gsm, less than about 30 gsm, less than about 25 gsm, less than about 20 gsm, less than about 15 gsm, or less than about 10 gsm, or any other suitable basis weight. The package substrate materials can be printable, such as, e.g., printed with one or more images, such as, e.g., printed with one or more product features, benefits, or selection guides.
In certain embodiments, the package is sealed around the consumer good on three or more sides, such as, for example, with permanent seals. In addition, the package can include a fold or a permanent seal on the fourth side, such that the consumer good is sealed within the package on all sides. The package includes an opening suitable for removal of the consumer good from the package. In certain embodiments, the opening is provided substantially or entirely on a single face of the package, such as, for example, the front face or the back face of the package. In addition, the package has an overlabel substantially covering the opening. In certain embodiments, the overlabel can cover the entire opening. Alternatively, the overlabel can cover a portion of the opening, such as, for example, a first cut through area of the opening. In this instance, as the label is peeled back, the rest of the opening is developed as the user breaks adjoining perforations defining the opening area.
While not limited to such application, packages of the present invention can be used for containing disposable absorbent articles, such as, for example, applicator tampons. In this example, the user can place the used applicator back into the package for disposal. The overlabel can be refastened over the package opening once the used article is placed into the package for transportation and/or disposal, such as, e.g., to provide increased discretion and cleanliness during transportation and/or disposal.
The package can be constructed in any suitable manner, such as, e.g., constructed of one connected piece of package material or constructed from multiple pieces of material sufficiently joined together such that it substantially acts as one connected piece of package material. In certain embodiments, the package can be formed by closing the package material via heat-sealing onto itself before and/or after wrapping the absorbent article. In addition, or alternatively, the package can be glued, embossed, crimped, sewed, stitched, entangled, mechanically interlocked, cold pressure welded, ultrasonic bonded, and/or otherwise bonded or sealed.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61578623 | Dec 2011 | US |
